[Football] Police call for cocaine users to be banned from football after Euros mayhem

[Eeyore]

I was at University in Manchester during the "Madchester" times, technically a bit later than the NME would say but early 90s.

Everyone was doing pretty much everything. I smoked copious amounts of weed (waking up to one) but didn't do MDMA. At the time it was very much "scene" associated, depending on the source of music and clubs you were into. There was a serious "indie" scene at the time where cannabis was the thing and that was me.

Whilst some were driving to a field in Chester in the middle of the night, others like me were doing bongs in front of The Word struggling to get up to answer the doorbell.

However, where we had something in common is that we:

1) Weren't drinking much alcohol.
2) We were taking drugs to help us us relax and have a good shared and invariably VERY funny time.

There was a lot cocaine around (which was very expensive), but mainly it was amphetamines. Both were clearly seen as a vehicle to drink more alcohol. I took amphetamines a couple times and cocaine unwittingly when my joint/drink was spiked. Both had quite an extreme effect on me in that they would make me stay awake for at least 48 hours.

.. but I wasn't drinking much.

When I came back to London and we moved into those New Labour / Brit Pop days cocaine was everywhere. I worked in the media and used to drink around Camden and Soho. People would also routinely take it at work.

I understood cocaine now then as I do know. Most who take cocaine do so to drink more in public and they drink more to counter the effects of the cocaine.

Unlike a spliff, MDMA or in most cases alcohol in isolation the combination turns you into a complete ******** pretty universally.

I went through my ecstasy years and very rarely drank with MDMA. They are not good combinations and unnecessary anyway. I hung around with folk who did the same and don't regret it. A club full of folk on MDMA was a good place to be.

Cocaine ? I just don't get. I tried it once and found myself feeling a bit cocky and full of myself. I hated it. Others who I knew took it were the same in character. There was a disconcerting nature about them, as if they could go ape at any moment. Cocaine and a football crowd ? Some will argue to the contrary, but I can't see why folk do it. I just can't.

 

[essbee1]

I think that's unfair. I look at the prescription tramadol at work in the East first.

Fair point clappers. Noted.

 

[Weststander]

I went through my ecstasy years and very rarely drank with MDMA. They are not good combinations and unnecessary anyway. I hung around with folk who did the same and don't regret it. A club full of folk on MDMA was a good place to be.

Cocaine ? I just don't get. I tried it once and found myself feeling a bit cocky and full of myself. I hated it. Others who I knew took it were the same in character. There was a disconcerting nature about them. Cocaine and a football crowd ? Some will argue to the contrary, but I can't see why folk do it. I just can't.

Peer pressure?

And the psychological addiction of once tried, the night out/event will never be as good again without it?

 

[Eeyore]

Not sure she has.

If she is looking to be the next Greta, maybe.

My motive is just to level up nsc, she just wants to potentially upset friends.

I never talk politics on main social media, why would you?

Not sure what you mean by this. It's a board of views and opinions.

 

[Icy Gull]

Not sure what you mean by this. It's a board of views and opinions.

You have got a seriously dodgy user name in relation to this thread

 

[Weststander]

You have got a seriously dodgy user name in relation to this thread

That crossed my mind.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Not sure what you mean by this. It's a board of views and opinions.

I think he means he wants it to be a board of his views and opinions.

 

[BadFish]

Is it though?

What seems to have caused this is people acting like a-holes (at the first England final for 55 years having been restricted for the previous 16 months). Should we differentiate between people who act like this sober, people who act like this after a few pints and people who act like this after a combination of lots of alcohol and some coke? Surely a bellend is a bellend, a flare is a flare, a streaker is a streaker, a fight is a fight?

This was very much my first thought. This seems like a subtle act of misdirection. Be seen to be doing something while not really doing much about the core problem. Similar to blaming video games for high school shootings.

If the powers that be are looking for reasons to ban people then surely the most logical reason is for being a dick head? Why not use the CCTV footage and various videos on social media to identify the people doing the wrong thing and ban them for the appropriate time. As you mentioned earlier we already have the laws in place to charge them for different offences. Damage to property, entering without a ticket, assault, breach of the peace, Doing coke while a large crowd cheer (one video I saw - although to be fair this didn't result in much anguish or grief for people).

 

[Eeyore]

You have got a seriously dodgy user name in relation to this thread

I would like to add that I am not on anyone's speed dial.

 

[BadFish]

I went through my ecstasy years and very rarely drank with MDMA. They are not good combinations and unnecessary anyway. I hung around with folk who did the same and don't regret it. A club full of folk on MDMA was a good place to be.

This, incredible times that last we me to this day. I would say, with only a little Hyperbole, that MDMA changed me and my life for the better.

Cocaine ? I just don't get. I tried it once and found myself feeling a bit cocky and full of myself. I hated it. Others who I knew took it were the same in character. There was a disconcerting nature about them, as if they could go ape at any moment. Cocaine and a football crowd ? Some will argue to the contrary, but I can't see why folk do it. I just can't.[/QUOTE]

I spent too many hours sitting in a room with everyone talking and no-one listening.

 

[BadFish]

Not sure she has.

If she is looking to be the next Greta, maybe.

My motive is just to level up nsc, she just wants to potentially upset friends.

I never talk politics on main social media, why would you?

You are doing a great job

 

[clapham_gull]

Peer pressure?

And the psychological addiction of once tried, the night out/event will never be as good again without it?

Not sure about peer pressure. You don't really share your stash to people who aren't interested.

Cocaine is clearly an alcohol enabler in football circles and extends the "night out" to an afternoon and even a morning.

It basically allows you to start drinking earlier without falling asleep. It's as simple as that.

Clearly you can become addicted to cocaine (like alcohol) but the vast majority of users aren't addicts of either and don't suffer long term adverse health side effects.

When drunk we act in variety of ways, serious cocaine addicts are something else and not something most people will ever meet. We are talking about the occasional and recreational use of both.

Unfortunately, it invariably turns you into a **** (I've never had a conversation with somebody drinking on cocaine it who I didn't think was one) and allows you think that sticking a firework up your ring piece is normal.

The combination of alcohol and cocaine is usually a danger and extreme annoyance to others rather than yourself.

 

[Weststander]

Not sure about peer pressure. You don't really share your stash to people who aren't interested.

Cocaine is clearly an alcohol enabler in football circles and extends the "night out" to an afternoon and even a morning.

It basically allows you to start drinking earlier without falling asleep. It's as simple as that.

Clearly you can become addicted to cocaine (like alcohol) but the vast majority of users aren't addicts of either and don't suffer long term adverse health side effects.

Unfortunately, it invariably turns you into a **** and allows you think that sticking a firework up your ring piece is normal.

The combination of alcohol and cocaine is usually a danger and extreme annoyance to others rather than yourself.

I have an associate who’s into regular use of dope.

It was never my thing, particularly never being a smoker, but I’m not prudish about those who like it. I’m more against the tar/nicotine destruction of the respiratory system and more.

They got into it because it was either join in, or not be able to join in with all their mates, socialise, hang out with the dope.

I would imagine that if a group of mates were taking coke for a football game, they’d all feel like they better join in. To be on the same wavelength.

That’s how it used to be with speed, I gather

 

[pastafarian]

Isn’t it obvious that people are more likely to behave like a-holes at a football match if they are under the influence of something - alcohol, Coke or whatever?

 

[dadams2k11]

In different circumstances some of the football lads I know are a bit more rowdy. In both cases the personality wasn't changed by the line, it was just 10% more animated, could drink a bit more and less likely to get tired, or get hard..!

EFA.

It has certain advantages shagging whilst on the gear is insane.

Not for me.

So what happens when you are shagging, gearless

I can get hard.

 

[atfc village]

We can all be as moral about the use of cocaine as we like but it is never gonna stop. It's been around for hundreds of years and is now rampant amongst the younger generation. The Genie isn't going back in the bottle now.

In my Youth got pissed up on beer and buckfast coz " Buckie " got you drunk quickly. Cocaine does that nowadays for the youngsters.

I saw Police with Sniffer Dogs at London Bridge identifying people with Drugs going to Millwall match and the dogs were busier than the trains.

I have no Idea what the solution would be and neither does the Government or the Police. This story all it does is tell everyone what goes on at football matches to those who don't go to football matches.

Everyone who goes to football matches already knew about it.

Buckie and jellies a lethal mix

 

[BadFish]

We can all be as moral about the use of cocaine as we like but it is never gonna stop. It's been around for hundreds of years and is now rampant amongst the younger generation. The Genie isn't going back in the bottle now.

In my Youth got pissed up on beer and buckfast coz " Buckie " got you drunk quickly. Cocaine does that nowadays for the youngsters.

I saw Police with Sniffer Dogs at London Bridge identifying people with Drugs going to Millwall match and the dogs were busier than the trains.

I have no Idea what the solution would be and neither does the Government or the Police. This story all it does is tell everyone what goes on at football matches to those who don't go to football matches.

Everyone who goes to football matches already knew about it.

I seem to remember reading that Portugal was doing a good job in dealing with drugs. Not specifically cocaine but drugs in general and heroin in particular. I think they have decriminalised it to some degree and treat addiction as a health issue rather than a criminal one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_Portugal

I am not sure how all this would effect the cocaine use in the UK but one thing is clear to me, it is going to need a change in attitude to make a difference in this area.

The war on drugs has been lost, now what?

 

[sydney]

You are of course correct, though the ridiculous "war on drugs" is the real problem here. Prohibition hasn't worked for anyone. A strictly controlled legalisation seems more sensible to me to be honest... ensure the quality and tax it.

the system soon changed its tune regarding cannabis once they realise a serious quid could be made out of it , dmt is being used on terminal patients along with psyloscibin to treat mental issues........coke has no therapeutic value at all but there kid still money to me made if it is regulated.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

The cartels will still control the supply

Yes, but if it's legal they would need to clean up their act. Gangsters controlled alcohol distribution during prohibition, but they soon disappeared once it became legal

 

[Happy Exile]

the system soon changed its tune regarding cannabis once they realise a serious quid could be made out of it , dmt is being used on terminal patients along with psyloscibin to treat mental issues........coke has no therapeutic value at all but there kid still money to me made if it is regulated.

The research into therapeutic use of illegal drugs is incredible. Weed for Parkinsons, psyloscibin for mental health, both absolutely life changing. MDMA has also been trialled successfully for treating PTSD.

The war on drugs seems ineffective in the extreme, but in this whole debate it's the regulation of natural, unrefined plants that are native to Britain and grow wild that seems most irrational.